WWII Ballarat ‘No 1 Wags’ Memorial

OPINION 

BY PETER SCHOUTENS AND JANET BATES

THE Ballarat RAAF Base during WWII was a school to teach Wireless Operators and Air Gunners.

They taught over 5000 aircrew members. Morse code was the major subject during their training. Not all of them passed the 20 words per minute, so those whom had trouble with the Morse code then became Air Gunners.

The majority of them went overseas and joined the English Bomber Commands. 1176 of those (ex 1WAGS) aircrew people were killed.

The research of that history was started by Mr Tom Roberts many years ago. He was the President of the Ballarat Air Force Association for many years. A couple of people joined him to complete the research of those killed during WWII.

The trainees were in Ballarat between 7 to 12 months, because those that had trouble with the Morse code then joined the next course or even another one. They spent a lot of time in Ballarat during weekends in pubs, dining and dancing. Quite a few married local girls.

Those people killed should be remembered and wreathed every year. The memorial with the 1176 names should be near the WW1 Memorial at the Arch of Victory. It could look exactly the same and be the same size as the WW1 Memorial.

To mention part of an article in the 24 October edition of the Ballarat Times, ‘Premier honours memories of the Avenue’, “With the Garden of the Grieving Mother adjacent to The Arch, it’s become a commemorative precinct.

“The imperialistic term, ‘victory’ is no longer widely celebrated as it once was. Over the 100 years, that attitude’s changed to recognise the grief and the horror of war.”